Takes 3-4 years to get affiliation: Orchids school amid fake CBSE affiliation row
Even as parents alleged that the school falsely claimed to be affiliated with CBSE and duped them of lakhs of rupees in fees, the institution said that the process to secure CBSE affiliation is lengthy and time-consuming, and it can take up to 3-4 years for a school to formally get the affiliation.
Amid protests by parents against at least three branches of the Orchids The International School in Bengaluru for falsely claiming affiliation with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the school management on Wednesday said the brand of schools followed all rules laid down by the regulating authorities and thereby conforms to requirements to operate in the state.
Even as parents alleged that the school falsely claimed to be affiliated with CBSE and duped them of lakhs of rupees in fees, the institution said that the process to secure CBSE affiliation is lengthy and time-consuming, and it can take up to 3-4 years for a school to formally get the affiliation.
“Orchids The International School, a brand of schools, has always maintained transparency in their admission documentation and the admission process. As a responsible education institution, Orchids The International School, a brand of schools, has followed all rules and guidelines laid down by the state education department, NCERT, NEP as well as all other regulating authorities responsible for education in the state,” the institution said in a statement.
“At the same time, there is a need to understand the overall process to secure CBSE affiliation, which is not just lengthy, but time-consuming. It can take up to 3-4 years for a school to formally get the affiliation. Several approvals are required from the education department to receive the State NOC and, thereby, CBSE affiliation. As per current norms laid down by the government, all schools are required to first get affiliated to the State Board to be able to apply for national/international board affiliation,” it added.
Earlier this week, at the Mahalakshmi Layout branch of the school, an altercation broke out between the parents and the school management over the issue. Last week, several parents protested at the Nagarabhavi and Panathur branches of the school over similar allegations.
The issue came to light after the school administration informed the parents that their children would be writing the exams in the state syllabus. The parents have expressed their outrage against the school, saying that the students have been taught the CBSE syllabus throughout the year and are now asked to write the exams for the state syllabus.
After the protests, on January 25, an FIR was registered by the Annapoorneshwari Nagar Police Station against St Theresa Educational, Cultural and Social Development Society, the trust that operates Orchids The International School.
However, the institution has maintained that its brand of schools has followed all processes laid down to acquire the national affiliation and to operate in the state. “Following the process, all Orchids The International School, a brand of schools, is affiliated to the State Board, thereby, conforming to requirements to operate in the state. Any school, once affiliated with the State Board and after obtaining the state-mandated NOC and other documents, can only file for CBSE Registration on the commencement of Grade 8. It must be understood that Orchids The International School, a brand of schools, has followed all the processes laid down to acquire national/international affiliation,” it said.
“The pandemic, which disrupted normal lives, also systematically caused delays in the entire process of affiliations, thereby impacting us as well. While 9 of the Orchids The International School, a brand of schools in the city already has CBSE/ICSE affiliation, the recently opened schools are proposed to be CBSE Schools in future and are undergoing the affiliation process by getting all the approvals/ permissions/ recognitions in place. The schools have all the necessary infrastructure and pedagogy to get affiliated to CBSE and hence, are confident to get affiliation soon,” it added.
Meanwhile, Archana Reddy, whose child is studying at the Orchids school in Panathur, said, “They don’t even have state affiliation. Only last year, in September, they applied for state affiliation. They have sent a letter to the state government saying that we are following the state syllabus and need permission for CBSE. So, they don’t even have clarity on which affiliation they are following right now.”
“Why did they issue students CBSE books then? Why are they teaching children the CBSE syllabus having state permission? If it wasn’t for the state examinations, this would not have come to light. In the brochure, they said it is a blend of CBSE and ICSE syllabi. Then why are students being taught state syllabus?” Reddy asked.
“My kid has taken Kannada as a second language, not the first language. But now, in the state syllabus, Kannada is a must in the public exam. How will the students face it? That is my concern. How will the teachers teach the kids 5 monthly syllabus? How will they write the exam?” Reddy added.
According to officials close to developments, the state education department has formed a committee involving the block education officers (BEO) to look into the allegations in each branch of the school.
